2. amps-preamps
  3. 1075645071

Help me find it again

I need your collective advice.

I have reached a critical point. If I don't start enjoying my system again, I will give up and sell!

I listen to mostly rock and pop with some blues and jazz. A little large orchestra stuff. I grew up listening to the best jazz and rock and roll live at my father's bootleg clubs. I've sat at the piano and poured drinks for the count, twisted with Chubby and lived in "Salt Pork West Virginia". I played piano and hammond organ professionally for several years working everything from rock to jazz to blues to gospel. I know how music sounds. I know how it can move you.

I have been living with my current system for about 6 months. "Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but it just don't thrill me the way that it should."

The sound is very clean but lacks emotion. It has a thin low end. Sometimes sounds harsh in the high end. The mids are good. It sounds like crap on lots of recordings that were OK on less revealing systems.

Components: Audiomeca transport and DAC, Aloia pre-amp, Goldmund 28M amps, Piega C-40 speakers, Goldmund line treatment, Piega speaker cables, Audio Techne interconnects.

I already have dedicated lines.

I'm done with vinyl. Just too much work... My turntable and record cleaner will be on the gon soon.

Room is large (32 X 20 with vaulted ceilings that rise from 10 to 18 feet). The system is on the longer wall with the shorter height. I have thick rug and window treatments. The speakers are spaced 3.5 feet from the wall and 11 feet apart. Seating is 10 feet back from the speakers and 6 feet from the back wall.

I'm thinking I need to change the preamp (perhaps tubes), but I'm willing to consider almost any changes. My current economic situation might limit my options. Also, since I live in central NC, it is almost impossible to audition anything...
spudco
nighthawk
259 posts
 
I've heard the Piega C-40s and they sound pretty much like you described - very detailed and somewhat thin sounding. I think you would be happier with warmer sounding speakers. Your electronics are quite good. I don't think you need to do anything there. You could also probably do better than the Audio Tekne ICs.

Try speakers from Vienna Acoustics, Vandersteen, Soliloquy, Aerial, Avalon, and Sonus Faber. All of these are available for audition in a day trip from central NC. I live in VA and know your problem. You just have to be willing to travel a bit. Robert Taylor (Taylor House) in Sherrills Ford, NC is a good dealer. Audio Art in Richmond,VA is another. JS Audio in Bethesda, MD and Gifted Listener in Centerville, VA are a little further away, but also worth the trip.
sean
6,231 posts
 
Newbee is obviously NOT a "newbee" as he consistently offers insightful responses.

As a side note, Stereophile just reviewed a pair of Piega's. Their basic suggestion was that these were nice sounding speakers, but not for anyone wanting a fuller, richer sound with deep bass extension. Given the size of your room, this would really come across as a "double whammy" in terms of a lack of body, bass weight and prat.

To cut to the chase, start off with a pair of Goertz MI-2's for speaker cable and try reconfiguring the speakers for a more even tonal balance. Goertz speaker cables tend to let the music flow in a very smooth and rhythmic manner. On top of that, Goertz offers in-home trials, so you've got nothing to lose. If that doesn't get you what you are looking for, time to check into a good quality sealed, isobarik or transmission line sub OR replace the speakers with something that has some "heft" to it. Just don't confuse bloated bass response with a lack of definition for incresed bass weight and extension. Otherwise, you'll be on the opposite side of the fence. Sean
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holzhauer
201 posts
 
I'm with Sean and Newbie on the subs. Like Sean said, transmission line designs are the way to go. Might I suggest the Buggtussel Tegmentum subwoofer. It should give you the live rythmic pulse you crave and then some. I also agree the better bass will probably deemphasize the harshness you are experiencing. Absorption or diffusion at the first reflection points can help with this also.
topoxforddoc's avatar
topoxforddoc
353 posts
 
Try a pair of Avantgarde Horns if your budget will reach. Unos or Duos would fill your room with sound. I have my Duos with an old Meridian 206B, Verdier tube preamp and Quad II monoblocs. My room is aso about 35ft by 18 ft with high 12 ft ceilings. Must say my vinyl is better (Platine verdier, Schroeder model 2 and Allaerts MC1B). The Duos were the best upgrade ever - better than my Platine - truly astonishing and very easy to drive.
ozfly
887 posts
 
Lots of great advice. Speaker cable, as mentioned by Sean, can make a huge differnce -- especially for the thin high end. Try MIT as well (Joe Abrams is a good person with whom to work) -- free trial. Subs are a good idea with a room that big. I went the big ass speaker route myself and that works too, but subs are lower costing alternatives that can work quite well. As usual, Newbee raises some good points as well. By the way, I've found that outboard DACs (I use Perpetual Tech) can also make a very significant difference. The latest Bound for Sound has some good advice in that arena. Good luck. By the way, if you are ever in the Charlotte area, look me up.
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